What are you looking for in a string instrument or bow? Perhaps you are a performer or a collector. Or both?

Are you looking for a special sound, provenance, beauty, a specific maker or
country of origin?

We understand your search for the right instrument and/or bow.

In this website, you can visit the violin, viola and bow pages for a list and description of some of our instruments.

In the Gallery pages, enjoy pictures of some of our inventory.

Our History:

All the Huthmakers are professional musicians and teachers as well as luthiers at our shop, Huthmaker Violins.

Two instruments that first drew us into this journey were a 1946 Gaetano Gadda
violin and a c. 1770 Vincenzo Parnarmo viola.

The Gadda joined our family on a summer evening, June, 1969.

For days my husband had been trying new violins. That night was decision time. He had narrowed the choices to three fine instruments but there was no time to take the instruments back to the
concert hall. The final decision had to be made that evening in our living room.

He played each violin equally, filling our home with Bach Partitas, a movement of the Tschaikowsky Violin Concerto and a Paganini Caprice.

After playing them in our living room, Roland asked, "Would you go outside and
listen? I'll open all
the windows and front door. See if you can hear a difference."

In the darkness, the grass damp under my feet, I listened. The first two
violins were . . . very nice. But the third one. Oh, my. The
third one bonded with my husband's musicianship and his soul. It opened
up the artist personality of his playing.

Inside the house, our daughter and new son slept, unaware of the magic that had
just taken place. Their father had found his life violin.

Over forty years later, the Gadda is still his favorite.

In 1987, the Parnarmo joined us quite by accident. Our dear friend and
string bassist, George Hofer brought a viola to our house and asked
if we knew anyone who might want to buy it. The instrument was
obviously very old with a lovely golden varnish.

So the viola sat in our music studio for a couple of weeks, calling to me. "Play
me," the Parnarmo said, over and over. So I did. And I fell in love instantly.

"I'm going to buy George's viola," I told my husband.

Roland spent hours examining the varnish and wood of the
instrument, noting the shape of the scroll, the f-holes, the composition of the purfling, shining his tiny light inside to read what was left of the label. "It's a very special viola," he concluded.

Several months later, Dario D'Attli certified the viola as a Vincenzo Parnarmo
made during the years Parnarmo spent in Paris.

Recently, Georg Albeck, violin maker extraordinaire, did some restoration to my
viola and Roland cut a new bridge and soundpost for it. I can't keep my
hands off the viola now. The sound is dark, rich and clear. It
speaks of a special heritage.

I'm sorry but neither the Gadda nor the Parnarmo is for sale.

Instead, we still have many other beautiful instruments and bows that are
available. Take a stroll through the gallery pages of our website and
choose a special instrument for yourself.